Fried Pastries With Wine Syrup Recipes

TULUMBA (DEEP-FRIED PASTRY WITH SYRUP)

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups of water and 6 tablespoons oil to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Remove from heat and stir in flour and baking powder until well combined. Allow to cool, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add eggs, one by one, and then beat with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
• Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Combine sugar and 2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool, at least 20 to 30 minutes.
• While syrup cools, heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spoon dough into a tulumba syringe or an icing bag with a special nozzle and pipe small portions of dough into the hot oil. You can also drop spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil, but then the tulumbas won't have the traditional shape. Work in batches and fry tulumbas until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool, about 10 minutes. Transfer tulumbas to a bowl and pour cooled syrup on top. Allow to soak for at least 2 hours.

HOMEMADE DATE SYRUP

Steps:

• Put the dates in a large heatsafe bowl and add the boiling water. Let sit until the dates are softened, about 30 minutes.
• Using a blender or an immersion blender, blend the dates and water so no large chunks are left. Pour this mixture into a pot and place it over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the dates from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the mixture is no longer watery and has a creamy, almost pudding-like consistency, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let the mixture come to room temperature.
• Put a nut milk bag or large piece of cheesecloth in a colander and place it over a saucepan. Working in 2 batches, pour the date mixture into the nut milk bag and squeeze it over the colander to strain the liquid through. You should be left with 2 to 2 1/2 cups of liquid. What's left in the nut milk bag is date pulp, which can be saved for another use (see Cook's Note).
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid is thickened, coats the back of a spoon and is reduced by one-half or more, depending on how thick you want your syrup, 30 to 40 minutes. Let it cool completely, then store in a mason jar or other container, refrigerated, for up to 3 months.

FRIED PASTRIES WITH BROWN SUGAR SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine all syrup ingredients in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, covered, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Remove lid and boil until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Cool syrup, then discard cinnamon sticks and zest.
• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add hot water, stirring until a soft dough forms. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Form dough into a ball and let stand, covered with plastic wrap, 30 minutes.
• Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a small ball. Roll out each small ball into a roughly 6 1/2- to 7-inch round (about 1/16 inch thick) with a floured rolling pin, lightly dusting dough and pin with flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Arrange rounds in 1 layer on 2 long sheets of wax paper very lightly dusted with flour.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches oil in a wide 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 390 to 400°F on thermometer. Brush excess flour from 1 dough round and fry, turning over once, until golden brown, crisp, and puffed in places, about 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining rounds, 1 at a time, in same manner, returning oil to 390 to 400°F before adding each.
• Serve fried pastries drizzled with syrup.